Pertuzumab

Pertuzumab is the generic name for the trade name drug Perjeta™. In some cases,
health care professionals may use the trade name Perjeta™ when referring to the
generic drug name Pertuzumab.

Drug Type:

Pertuzumab is an anti-cancer ("antineoplastic" or "cytotoxic") chemotherapy drug.
This medication is classified as an "­­­­­­­­­antineoplastic agent and a monoclonal
antibody". (For more detail, see “How Pertuzumab Works” below).

What Pertuzumab Is Used For:

Indicated in combination with trastuzumab and chemotherapy for the treatment of patients
with HER2-positive breast cancer. HER2 expression must be present for
initiation of pertuzumab using FDA-approved test.

Note: If a drug has been approved for one use, physicians may elect to use this
same drug for other problems if they believe it may be helpful.

How Pertuzumab Is Given:

As an infusion into a vein (intravenous, IV) over 60 minutes.

Side Effects:

Important things to remember about the side effects of Pertuzumab:

Most people will not experience all of the Pertuzumab side effects listed.

Pertuzumab side effects are often predictable in terms of their onset, duration,
and severity.

Pertuzumab side effects will improve after therapy is complete.

Pertuzumab side effects may be quite manageable. There are many options to minimize
or prevent the side effects of Pertuzumab.

The following side effects are common (occurring in greater than 30%)
for patients taking Pertuzumab. Reactions reported in combination therapy with trastuzumab
and docetaxel:

Not all side effects are listed above. Side effects that are very rare -- occurring
in less than about 10 percent of patients -- are not all listed here. But you should
always inform your health care provider if you experience any unusual symptoms.

When to contact your doctor or health care provider:

Contact your health care provider immediately, day or night or go to the
emergency room, if you should experience any of the following symptoms:

Precautions:

Before starting Pertuzumab treatment, make sure you tell your doctor about any
other medications you are taking (including prescription, over-the-counter, vitamins,
herbal remedies, etc.).

Do not receive any kind of immunization or vaccination without your doctor’s approval
while taking Pertuzumab.

Inform your health care professional if you are pregnant or may be pregnant prior
to starting this treatment. Pregnancy category D (Pertuzumab may be hazardous to
the fetus. Women who are pregnant or become pregnant must be advised of the potential
hazard to the fetus.)

For both men and women: Use contraceptives, and do not conceive a child (get pregnant)
while taking Pertuzumab. Barrier methods of contraception, such as condoms, are
recommended. Verify pregnancy status prior to treatment initiation. Effective contraception
should be used during therapy and for 6 months after treatment.

Do not breast feed while taking Pertuzumab.

Self-Care Tips:

Drink at least two to three quarts of fluid every 24 hours, unless you are instructed
otherwise.

You may be at risk of infection so try to avoid crowds or people with colds, and
report fever or any other signs of infection immediately to your health care provider.

Wash your hands often.

To help treat/prevent mouth sores, use a soft toothbrush, and rinse three times
a day with 1 teaspoon of baking soda mixed with 8 ounces of water.

Use an electric razor and a soft toothbrush to minimize bleeding.

Avoid contact sports or activities that could cause injury.

To reduce nausea, take anti-nausea medications as prescribed by your doctor, and
eat small, frequent meals.

In general, drinking alcoholic beverages should be kept to a minimum or avoided
completely. You should discuss this with your doctor.

Get plenty of rest.

Maintain good nutrition.

Remain active as you are able. Gentle exercise is encouraged such as a daily walk.

If you experience symptoms or side effects, be sure to discuss them with your health
care team. They can prescribe medications and/or offer other suggestions that are
effective in managing such problems.

Monitoring and Testing:

Lab work to check blood counts and liver/kidney functions will be checked regularly
by your health care professional while you are taking Pertuzumab, to monitor side
effects and check your response to therapy.

Cardiac studies to assess Left Ventricular Ejection Fracture (LVEF), may be ordered.

How Pertuzumab Works:

Targeted therapy is the result of about 100 years of research dedicated to understanding
the differences between cancer cells and normal cells. To date, cancer treatment
has focused primarily on killing rapidly dividing cells because one feature of cancer
cells is that they divide rapidly. Unfortunately, some of our normal cells divide
rapidly too, causing multiple side effects.

Targeted therapy is about identifying other features of cancer cells. Scientists
look for specific differences in the cancer cells and the normal cells. This information
is used to create a targeted therapy to attack the cancer cells without damaging
the normal cells, thus leading to fewer side effects. Each type of targeted therapy
works a little bit differently but all interfere with the ability of the cancer
cell to grow, divide, repair and/or communicate with other cells.

There are different types of targeted therapies, defined in three broad categories.
Some targeted therapies focus on the internal components and function of the cancer
cell. The targeted therapies use small molecules that can get into the cell and
disrupt the function of the cells, causing them to die. There are several types
of targeted therapy that focus on the inner parts of the cells. Other targeted therapies
target receptors that are on the outside of the cell. Therapies that target receptors
are also known as monoclonal antibodies. Antiangiogenesis inhibitors target the
blood vessels that supply oxygen to the cells, ultimately causing the cells to starve.

Pertuzumab has the component of an antibody type of targeted therapy. Antibodies
are an integral part of the body’s immune system. Normally the body creates antibodies
in response to an antigen (such as a protein or a germ) that has entered the body.
The antibodies attach to the antigen in order to mark it for destruction by the
immune system. To make anti-cancer antibodies in the laboratory, scientists analyze
specific antigens on the surface of cancer cells (the targets). Then using animal
and human proteins, they create a specific antibody that will attach to the target
antigen on the cancer cells. When given to a patient, these antibodies will attach
to matching antigens like a key fits a lock. Since antibodies target only specific
cells, they may cause less toxicity to healthy cells. Monoclonal antibody therapy
is usually only given for cancers in which antigens and the respective antibodies
have been identified already.

Pertuzumab is a monoclonal antibody which targets the surface of the cells human
epidermal growth factor receptor 2 protein (HER2) on the cancer cell, interfering
with HER2 causing cancer cell death. Pertuzumab binds to a different area of the
HER2 protein than trastuzumab so that when pertuzumab is combined with trastuzumab,
a more complete blockage of HER2 signaling occurs.

Research continues to identify which cancers may be best treated with targeted therapies
and to identify additional targets for more types of cancer.

Note: We strongly encourage you to talk with your health care professional
about your specific medical condition and treatments. The information contained
in this website is meant to be helpful and educational, but is not a substitute
for medical advice.

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